Top 5 American favourites in South Africa

South Africa is a top destination for Americans, and they keep coming in their numbers to enjoy their favourite holiday experiences here. If you are hosting American guests, keep these top five things they love about South Africa in mind.

Wildlife

The Kruger National Park is one of the best places in the world for viewing wildlife. The park is easily accessible from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg by car or plane. This means guests can enjoy the best of both worlds: they can experience Johannesburg, an African economic powerhouse, and its surrounding tourist attractions, and also get away to the bush. Direct flights to the park are available for extra convenience.

Modern cities

Americans visitors love our modern cities and Cape Town is one of the popular cities to visit. Image courtesy of ilovetowastemytime

For the thousands of American tourists visiting our country each year, convenience is key, and South Africa, with its well-developed infrastructure and modern amenities, is the perfect holiday destination for them. They love our country because they know their bank cards will work, that they can enjoy the best food and stay in the best hotels – just like they can back at home – and that they can shop till they drop. And the best part about all this access to luxury is that it costs less than in the US.

Beaches

Apart from our wildlife, we also have beautiful, sandy beaches that are popular with Americans. One day your guest could be sitting in a safari vehicle enjoying a game-viewing experience, the next sipping a cocktail at a beach in Cape Town, Durban or the Eastern Cape. Our beaches also offer tourists access to a number a water-based activities, from whale watching and shark cage-diving to surfing. Americans love sports and being able to under the African sun is a bonus.

History and culture

We have a rich and well-documented history in our museums and libraries. Being able to visit places they have read about is something they look forward to. Robben Island is always a popular choice in Cape Town, as is the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg. Americans love visiting our townships and experiencing local culture and cuisine. Trips to townships, wine tours and cooking classes focusing local cuisine are great activities to recommend.

We speak their language

English is widely spoken here and American visitors do not have to worry about learning a new language just to be able to communicate the basics while on holiday. They can book their holiday and explore markets without having to worry too much about how to communicate with the locals. Speaking the same language gives them freedom to take control of their holiday and takes the stress out of planning a holiday – and this is one of the reasons why they keep coming back.